OPD Oneness, Peace, Divinity

Our walk in the desert is over! After eight years of living the life of Love, we commit to reaching the next stage in our evolution!  Please see the attached letter from our presiding minister and bishop. The text of the letter can be found below the image.  Our June 2012 annual meeting will be of great value and importance to our path towards resurrection!

New formation material will be distributed after the June gathering. Bishop has asked that all reference to sacrifice be removed from your local training materials.  If you have any questions, contact me directly at OPDcommunications@live.com
-Br. John M, OPD 

May 21, 2012

Brothers and Sisters,

We have heard it said that it is the Word of God that brings light to the heart. Word, in our tradition is not just important, but Divine. It is because of this idea that today we change our words to more closely mirror the image of the Divine. Our Community has been known as the Order of Penance of Saint Dominic because we came out from the Order formed by the idea of Dominic de Guzman, founder of the Order of Preachers of the Roman way. This year marks the eighth year of our inception. Like our founder, symbolized by the eight-pointed star, we represent oneness, peace, and divinity in the world. The idea of penance is foreign to us although we chose the title Order of Penance as homage to our founder and to the generations of men and women who gave their lives to perpetuate the mission of the preacher of Love.

In these last few years we have listened closely to the Voice of Love and followed the path of Love as we have continued to do the work of evolution…putting out into the deep of Life so that we may return to our source with Love unbound, ready for the next stage of existence. We are ready now to stand firmly on the foundation of Love. We are ready now to come into our own.

We reject the idea that suffering is of value. We reject the idea that a Loving Divinity would ask us to suffer. We reject the idea that a Loving Divinity would ask its own creation to suffer in order to gain eternal life. We repent of our former belief in a God that permits His own Son to suffer unjustly for the failings of others. No loving parent would permit this. Therefore no loving Divinity can abide in this idea.

Today we pronounce with the power of God’s own voice a new name for our Community and with it freedom from suffering and penance. We have walked the path set out for us in all humility. Now we walk our own path of oneness, peace, and divinity. We lay down the idea of penance and take up the idea of Peace. We are the OPD. We stand for Oneness, Peace, Divinity.

By the authority of my voice and by my own seal, I am,

+Tomas Martin Bell, OpD

Bishop and Presiding Minister of the

Ecumenical Brothers and Sisters of OPD

The Ecumenical OPD Gives a Damn...

Commentary and Formation

Bp. Tomas Martin, OPD certified the appointment of Sr. Terese Terry, OPD as coordinator and “Prioress” of the Ecumenical OPD Internet Convent. Sister will begin a series of instructions on the Rule and Statutes of the OPD in the fall. Join us for the formation course. E-mail me at OPDcommunications@live.com for more information.

Br. John Matsya, O.P.D.
Communications Coordinator

Community of Love from the Beginning

Sister Dominica Marie, OPD shares her thoughts about co-founding the OPD Community

Since becoming part of the Ecumenical OPD, Sister has formed the Warmth of Love Ministry (click here) and is a member of the OPD Convent (click here).

What led you to help form the Ecumenical OPD Community?
In the beginning there was direction given from the Mother of our savior she led me and I followed her to each avenue I needed to reach the arms of her son. Her direction was so kind and loving that my devotion grew with love. The very love that her son gave to her, she placed within me.

So before time God had a plan. His plan for my direction led me to the Dominican Community where I became involved with the three greatest individuals that were ever placed in my life. They had the same desires that were in my heart. So our journey began and we formed a community together.

Promises made with love
The greatest day of my life was the day I made promises directly to the God of my heart. As I entered the chapel to begin the completion of my desire to serve God, our habits were displayed on the altar below a statue of our dear Blessed Mother! What a beautiful surprise! Our Blessed Lady again was guiding me to what should be. As preparation was under way many devoted followers came to witness and participate in the formation of our Community and the blessing of our habits. With the direction of our Prior, Brother Tomas, the three of us sat---as candidates---waiting to be called to the altar. At that moment I went into prayer and felt the highest contentment one could possibly feel. It was as if the gates of heaven were about to open to give me direct merging to the heart of He who created us. Then all began, it was like floating to the unknown! As I made my promises I could feel the spirit covering my heart. I could feel my soul receive the spirit. It was a joy that can’t be explained and it existed within me! I then understood all that was given from Christ, my spouse, for the grandeur of his love. One must from the beginning understand the direction given from the heavens in order to pursue this desire of love. The happiness that was felt that day spread to the community who witnessed what was made in heaven. The joy and laughter of the community reached back up to the heavens. The presence of our God was among us. This was the beginning of our ministry.

Making us stronger in God
Many tribulations and mishaps came our way which included rejection from some who were with us in the beginning, but these obstacles had to be overcome in order to be placed on the path given to us by our creator. Our Community is special for when two or more are in prayer so will be our maker, this was my desire and this is where I am now, with Him.

-Sister Dominica Marie OPD

Do you hear Love's song?

The Amended Statutes of the Ecumenical OPD are now available at the "Your Convent" site (click here)

The Community of the Ecumenical OPD has been born out of an idea that is Love. The statutes of the association serve as a guide that helps members live the life of a brother or sister in a uniform way. It also helps the existing members form new brothers and sisters in the community. The idea of forming an individual in a spiritual community is a serious topic and deserves much thoughtful consideration.

Even though the statutes are important to the association, we are looking for members to take the initiative in some way rather than depend solely on some organizational procedure to bring their spiritual and apostolic light to the world. The rule and statutes are only the start of the idea of Love found in the heart. The words of the document are a means, not an end. So the rule and statutes are words that lead to the meaning. We are looking for those who yearn for the meaning behind the words. Remember what we learned from the clay of Genesis.

The idea of the Community has much to do with the beauty of the individual who voluntarily shares from the store of the heart. We want the members to come forth because they want their own unique light to shine rather than those who try to conform to the type of light we want to see. Our members should not have to struggle to change their own glow to fit a limited idea. We are looking for those who have not been able to break through the politics of mainstream "church" organizations. but who nevertheless feel a strong desire to live a commuity life in Love. The glory of God is not political---the Father's house is not a house of bartering. We want this Community to do what it set out to do from the beginning: be a garden of beauty where ideas come to take form and multiply in joy and peace, creating children of thought that become the fruit of life that will last.

Ours should be a community of light...a rainbow of God's children shining in the dark of chaos, lighting a path to an eternity of peace. To say it another way: We want a Community of Love that stands for Love and remembers that it was born from Love. The Community is Love. We will know the best members to accept and form into sisters and brothers because we will know them by the Love they show to the world. To borrow an idea of a much loved brother concerning peace, let us say: Love, Love, Love is all that matters...all else is a consequence.

The OPD Joins Pope Benedict XVI in praying for full Communion

from the Vatican Information Service:
INVOKING THE GIFT OF FULL COMMUNION
VATICAN CITY, 19 JAN 2011 (VIS) - In his general audience, held this morning in the Paul VI Hall, the Pope dedicated his catechesis to the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which is taking place from 18 to 25 January and during which "all those who believe in Christ are invited to come together in prayer, so as to bear witness to the profound ties that unite them and to invoke the gift of full communion".

The Holy Father remarked on "the providential fact that prayer is at the centre of the journey to unity. This", he said, "reminds us once again that unity cannot be a product of mere human efforts, is its above all a gift of God. ... We do not 'construct' unity, God 'constructs' it, it comes from Him, from the mystery of the Trinity".

Benedict recalled how the theme chosen for this year's Week of Prayer "refers to the experience of the first Christian community in Jerusalem, as described in the Acts of the Apostles: 'They devoted themselves to the Apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers'".

This quotation identifies "four characteristics defining the first Christian community of Jerusalem", he said, "which still act as pillars for the life of all Christian communities, and constitute the solid foundation on which to continue to construct the visible unity of the Church".

Commenting on the first of these characteristics, the Pope noted that, "even today, the community of believers recognises the norms of its own faith in that reference to the teaching of the Apostles. All efforts to build unity among Christians must, then, involve increasing faithfulness to the 'depositum fidei' handed down to us by the Apostles".

The Holy Father then turned to the second element, "fraternal communion, ... the most tangible expression of unity between disciples and the Lord, especially for the outside world. ... The history of the ecumenical movement has been marked by difficulties and doubts, but it is also a history of fraternity, of co-operation and of human and spiritual sharing, which has significantly altered relations among believers in the Lord Jesus. We are all committed to continuing this journey".

On the subject of the third characteristic, "the breaking of bread", the Holy Father noted that "communion in Christ's sacrifice is the pinnacle of our union with God and, therefore, it also represents the completeness of the unity of Christ's disciples, full communion". In this context he noted also how "the impossibility of sharing the same Eucharist ... also gives a penitential dimension to our prayers. This must be a reason for ever more generous commitment on everyone's part so that, having removed the obstacles to full communion, the day may come when it will be possible to gather around the table of the Lord, together breaking the Eucharistic bread and drinking from the same chalice.

"Finally", he added, "prayer was the fourth characteristic of the early Church in Jerusalem ... Prayer also means opening ourselves to the fraternity that stems from our being children of the one heavenly Father; it means being ready for forgiveness and reconciliation".

"Like the first Christian community of Jerusalem, on the basis of what we already share we must offer a powerful witness - well-founded spiritually and well-supported by reason - of the one God Who revealed Himself and speaks to us in Christ, in order to be bring a message which guides and illuminates the path of modern man, who often lacks clear points of reference. It is important, then, to increase our mutual love every day, striving to overcome the barriers that still exist between Christians, in the knowledge that true inner unity does exist among people who follow the Lord. We must collaborate as much as possible, working together on outstanding questions and, above all, aware that we need the Lord's help on this journey. He must still help us a lot because without Him, alone, without 'abiding in Him', we can do nothing".

God is not a Bully

Imagine a world with no bullies. Many of our nation’s young people try to do this everyday. In light of the recent tragedies resulting from peer abuse in our country, I put out a call to the OPD Community and its friends. My request: create a project to help reduce the tragedies related to bullying in our world. To my delight, an aspiring young writer in Southern New Jersey answered my call. Blair Petersen, aka BlairieLouHoo, agreed to start a blog site offering help and advice to young people who are being bullied. Even more amazing than Blair’s fast reply to my request is the fact that her entire family has pledged to join her effort! Blair has also started a YouTube Channel to give advice to those seeking a kind and understanding ear. Over the past few days the God is not a Bully blog posted its first entry, making it a little easier to imagine a bully-free world.

It is my great hope that this blog site will evolve into a network of caring people who will do what they can to help children who are being abused in any way. With the dawn of the information age we have witnessed many changes to how members of our society communicate with each other. The God is not a Bully blog site can offer another way for young people across the country to reach out for help when they feel threatened by people or words trying to harm them.

The title of the blog is meant to give strength to those being bullied. God is not a bully. This is a definitive statement. It tells us that any person (or group) who bullies someone is acting without any sanction from God. It tells us that the bully acts without God’s power and is---in reality---weak and powerless to harm. Bullies try to intimidate their victims into believing that the bully has the power to harm or control them. I pray that this blog site exposes the truth that any person or group that resorts to intimidation as a means of gaining power over others is doomed to fail. All bullies fail in the end. It’s our job to make sure that our community doesn’t suffer the loss of any more of its children, while we progress towards that end.

Please take a look at the blog. Add your advice to the questions that Blair or others will post. Share the site with your friends through Facebook, Twitter or other social networks. If someone in your life is being bullied and you don’t know where to turn for help, reach out to us through the site and we will do what we can to lend a heart and hand.

I extend my great thanks and Episcopal Blessing to Blair and her family for the love they have shown to this project and to our community’s young people.

With hope for the future, I am,
+Bro. Tomas Martin, OPD
Bishop of the OPD Community